Saturday, August 13, 2011

The term charisma is often referred to power of authority, to influence as in office function and or position. Conferring a personality for leadership or worthiness of veneration.

However, my thoughts are more alined with the Greek definition, which is "favor given" as in blessed visual beauty or "gift of grace", a look or a touch. More so, a compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion. And to go even further, fertility to goddesses has even been applied to the term - Vermeer's "Smiling Girl, da Vinci's Mona Lisa - comes to mind.

With many of the photographs I make my initial motivation is to interpret firstly and communicate secondly. Akin to what a chef sets out to do with a food item or a recipe - "do something to it and then do something again" - be it forceful or subtle, as this wedding photograph lends itself as an example.